Recurring under-funding of Ware school budget prompts state warning to town officials

WARE – The state education commissioner recently warned Ware officials that they have been appropriating less than the required amount of money, and that loss of state aid and possible legal action could result.

The 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act put the state in charge of determining how much money school districts must spend.

Mitchell D. Chester, commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, said in a letter to Ware’s school superintendent and the selectmen that not following the law puts state aid in jeopardy and could precipitate enforcement action by the state attorney general.

“Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the loss of Chapter 70 (education) aid, delays in the approval of your municipal tax rate – and/or enforcement action by the Attorney General,” Chester wrote.

Although the law allows a school district to spend up to 5 percent less than the state requirement, the underage is carried over to the next year.

The Chester letter reminded Ware of that, saying the town “was $964,961 below the required amount.” The shortage resulted in adding “the entire amount ... to the district’s FY13 requirement.” In fiscal 2011 Ware appropriated $593,000 less than its required minimum contribution for education set by the state.

The commissioner also told Ware officials that budget data shows current spending with a “shortfall of $618,139” that “would be added to the FY14 requirement,” adding: “if there is a way for you to supplement the current year’s school budget, I urge ... to work towards doing so.”

In an interview, school board chairman Chris Desjardins said he hopes the town can pay all the money due to the schools within four years, but said that may not be possible.

“We are hoping they will find ways to chip away at the $600,000 that is owed,” Desjardins said. “There are hopes and then there is reality. I would hope we get it back within three or four years; reality tells me that is not possible.”